Melissa and Meredith Weiss filed a lawsuit against North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services in December of 2015 when they wouldn’t amend their children’s birth certificates to include both mothers’ names. Following the gay marriage ruling, North Carolina had changed their policies to allow same-sex parents to both be included on birth certificates, however, the state hadn’t changed it’s policies to amend birth certificates that didn’t include both parents’ names who had had children prior to the policy change.

On November 15, 2016, justice for these two moms and all same-sex parents in North Carolina, prevailed. The case was settled and officials are now agreeing to amend the Weiss’ children’s birth certificates to include both mothers’ names and those of other same-sex parents.

Beth Littrel, senior attorney for Lambda Legal said in a statement: “This is a tremendous victory for the Weiss family – and for all North Carolina children born to same-sex couples before the state’s discriminatory marriage ban was struck down, who will now enjoy the same protections as everyone else.”

She added, “This should have happened a long time ago. Every state should ensure that all families have access to the same rights and protections. Making sure all children born to married same-sex couples have accurate birth certificates is a critical place to start.”

“We are both thrilled and relieved,” Meredith and Melissa Weiss said in a statement announcing the settlement. “We just want our children to have the same respect, protections and treatment that every other child born to married parents receives. Today, our family and other families like ours can move forward.”